The leading left-wing daily likens the Hungarian Prime Minister’s plan to erect a new fence on Hungary’s southern border, to the Israeli wall in the West Bank. Népszabadság wonders if Hungary would shoot at refugees if the new defence line does not stop them.

In his bi-weekly radio interview on Friday, PM Orbán announced that the government would completely seal off Hungary’s southern border through the construction of a second fence. This new massive defence line could stop hundreds of thousands of migrants from entering Hungary, he said. The Prime Minister hinted that Hungary could again become the frontline of a new mass migration influx if Turkey decides to let through migrants from the Middle East again.

Népszabadság in a front page editorial likens PM Orbán’s proposed fence to the Israeli wall on the West Bank. The leading left-wing daily acknowledges that massive fences reduce terrorist threats, but they cannot stop refugees and illegal migrants. Népszabadság fears that if the new defence line does not stop migrants, Hungary might also end up using lethal force, as Israel did in 2011 when 35 Palestinians protesting against the wall were killed by Israeli soldiers.